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Originally from the planetAndo, Ponda Baba was a burly Aqualish thug who rescued Cornelius Evazan, a former doctor who was infamous for the cruelty he inflicted upon his patients, from a bounty hunter. The two formed a partnership and began to smugglespice for Jabba the Hutt. The pirates[1] were successful at their trade[4] and became wanted men.[2] Their working relationship wasn't always pleasant, however, and Baba even briefly considered turning Evazan in to collect the bounty on his head before realizing that their ongoing partnership was more profitable.[4] Still, the two considered each other friends[5][3] despite their differences.[4]

Prior to the Battle of Yavin, Baba and Evazan were patrons at Chalmun's Cantina on Tatooine.[2] Bored and looking for excitement,[3] a drunk Baba[1] decided to pick a fight with Luke Skywalker,[3] a young farmboy. Evazan quickly escalated the argument, even beginning to threaten the boy before attracting the attention of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Skywalker's guardian.[2] The hermit attempted to ease tensions[7] by offering to purchase the pair drinks, but Evazan refused to back down and tossed Skywalker out of his way, and, along with Baba, drew his blaster pistol on the old man, despite the protest of Wuher, the cantina's bartender. Before the pirates were even able to discharge their weapons, however, Kenobi had already ignited hislightsaber,[2] swiftly removing Baba's right arm and wounding Evazan with a slash across his torso, decisively ending the argument.[3]

Following the altercation, those present in the cantina briefly turned to see what had transpired before returning to their business. However, a departing patron, Garouf Lafoe,[8] decided to inform a squad of Mos Eisley's sandtroopers of the attack.[7] After the troopers had entered the establishment and reached the counter, Wuher indicated to them where Kenobi and Skywalker had taken a seat, though the pair found another exit before they could be apprehended.[2] Evazan tried to reattach Baba's arm using his medical training, but ended up nearly killing the Aqualish in the process when the procedure failed.[9] Ponda would later regret bullying that 'blond human teenager.'[8]